Holy Night
by Absolut
Summary: Just a little Christmas thing ... Don't shoot me !


**Holy Night**  
By Absolut.  
  
Disclaimer: The characters of Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling do not belong to me, but to Thomas Harris. No copyright infringement intended. Don't see how I could make any money of it anyway. Just borrowing them for the night.   
  
Note: This takes place after Hannibal, well, after a slightly different version of the movie ending. To make it short ... Clarice did not call the police. Hannibal did not chop off his left hand. Instead, she responded to his kiss in the kitchen. He took her to Krendler's bedroom, where they made love. Then she fell asleep. When she woke up, he was gone ... The story takes place four years later.  
  
  
  
  
The little girl did not want to go to bed. She was much too excited with Christmas and all the presents she had asked to Santa Claus. Clarice was holding her in her lap in the rocking chair, trying to put her to sleep. She stroke the little girl hair and started singing softly.  
  


_Silent night, holy night,  
All is calm, all is bright  
Round yon virgin mother and child.  
Holy infant so tender and mild,  
Sleep in heavenly peace.  
Sleep in heavenly peace._  


  
The little body was getting heavier and Clarice thought she had made it. But the child suddenly raised her face to her and looked at her right in the eyes. Clarice chilled. She would never get used to the intensity of the blue eyes.  
  
" - Mummy, are you sure Santa will come tonight ? How does he know where we live ?  
- He knows, honey. Santa knows where every child is living. And as you have been as good as gold whole year, I would not worry if I were you. He will come."  
  
Clarice put a little kiss on her daughter' s forehead.  
  
" - But, he can only come when you sleep.  
- Why, mum ?  
- You know that. I already told you. No child must see Santa, or he will leave without leaving his presents.  
- What if I wake up in the middle of the night and he's here ?  
- Do you want to sleep in my bed tonight ?" The little girl nodded. "All right then. Now try to sleep."  
  
The child curled up in her mother's arms. Clarice started again to rock her and went on singing.  
  


_Silent night, holy night,  
Shepherds quake at the sight,  
Glories stream from heaven afar,  
Heavenly hosts sing alleluia;  
Christ the Savior, is born!  
Christ the Savior, is born!_  


  
" - Mummy ?" The child' s voice was not sleepy at all. Clarice sighed.  
" - What, my love ?  
- Why didn't little Jesus have a dad ?  
...  
- He had a father, honey. Every child's got one." Clarice pulled the child closer. "His father just couldn't live with him and his mother.  
- Just like me, then ?  
- Yes. Just like you."  
  
"Not exactly for the same reasons, though." Clarice thought. The girl had started asking questions about her father recently. Since she was going to school actually. And Clarice was having a hard time answering them. She did not want to tell her who her father was before she was old enough to understand. But would she ever be able to understand.  
  
" - Why is my daddy not living with us, mum ?  
- I told you, honey. Your daddy is traveling, for work. He is in another country. He loves you very much, but cannot be with us now.  
- Will he be here next year for Christmas ?  
- I don't think so, honey. But who knows ..."  
  
Clarice closed her eyes to prevent the tears to roll out. She buried her face into her daughter's curled black hair.  
  


_Silent night, holy night,  
Son of God, love's pure light  
Radiant beams from thy holy face,  
_

  
"I think I should sleep now, mum." She yawned. "Or Santa will not come." Clarice kissed her in the neck. Clarice was almost sad. Though she had been trying to put her child to sleep for more than one hour now, she knew what was waiting for her after she would have tucked her in bed: just another lonely Christmas night ...  
  


_With the dawn of redeeming grace,  
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.  
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth._  


  
The child was slightly snoring. Clarice smiled. "Sleep, my love. And have the nicest dreams". She lifted the little sleeping body in her arms and carefully stood up. She was about to leave the sitting room when she heard someone knocking at the door. The child moved in her arms. "Shit !" Clarice swore. She cautiously shifted her daughter on her right arm and went to the door.  
  
When she opened it, a breath of cold air hit her in the face. The child shivered and turned her face to the door.  
  
"Santa !" she shouted, both fascinated and terrified. "Mum, it's Santa !"  
  
Clarice was petrified. The man was standing on her porch, all dressed in red. The sack on his back was full of parcels. A long white beard was almost completely covering his face, but Clarice would recognize these eyes out of a thousand. She couldn't speak a word.  
  
"Mummy ! I've seen him. I will not have presents now." The child had buried her face in her mother' s neck and was crying abundantly. Clarice instinctively hold her closer.  
  
"Don't cry, little girl." the man said with a soft and low voice. "It's all right. You will have your presents ... all your presents." He put his hand on the child's back and stroke it gently. "You can look at me." The child turned her face to him and rubbed her nose with her sleeve.  
  
" - But mummy told me ...  
- And your mum is right. But every year, I choose one child in the whole world who will have the permission to see me. And this year, you won."  
  
A broad smile lightened her face.  
  
"Mummy ! I won !" Clarice was still unable of speaking. "Mum ! We must let Santa in, or he will catch a cold." The child moved in her mothers arms. Clarice let her down and stepped back.  
  
Hannibal came in and closed the door behind him. He kneeled in front of the little girl.  
  
" - So, tell me, what is your name ?  
- Her name is Mischa." Clarice answered. Her voice was hoarse. Hannibal tilted his head and stared at Clarice. She saw his eyes were moist.  
" - Mischa ... That's a beautiful name.  
- My mom gave it to me." the child said proudly. "You know, at school, I'm the only Mischa.  
- Are you ? A lovely name, for a lovely little girl ... So, Mischa, have you been a good girl this year ?  
- Yes, Santa. Haven't I mum ?"  
  
Clarice nodded.  
  
" - Yes, honey. You've been a very good girl. Always." Mischa smiled.  
" - You see. Did you receive my letter, Santa ?  
- Of course I did. And I may have a few things for you in my sack."  
  
Mischa' s deep blue eyes sparkled mischievously.  
  
" - You've got beautiful eyes, Mischa." Hannibal whispered.  
" - She's got the eyes of her father." Clarice said, her voice back to normal.  
" - Can I have my presents now ?  
- I'm afraid this is not possible, Mischa. You have to go to sleep before. Besides, I may have a special surprise for you tomorrow morning. But I have to talk with your mother first.  
- OK." Mischa answered, a little bit disappointed. "I'm sleeping in mum's bed tonight.  
- I don't think so, honey.  
- But mum, you said I could ...  
- I know. But now that you have seen Santa, I guess you are a big girl and you should sleep in your bed.  
- OK. Good night, mummy.  
- Good night, my love. Have sweet dreams.  
- Oh, I will !"  
  
Clarice kissed her daughter. Mischa looked at Hannibal, still kneeling next to her. He opened his arms.  
  
"Do you think I could get one of these big hugs too ?" he asked. The little girl jumped in his arms laughing and put her little arms around his neck. He held her close and put his face in her hair, closing his eyes to better breath her scent. Clarice let the tears slowly go down.  
  
Mischa and her father finally parted and the child ran upstairs to her room. Hannibal stood up. When he was sure Mischa was in her room, he took away his cap and his beard.  
  
" - Good evening, Clarice.  
- Hannibal ..."  
  
She ran to him and put her arms around his waist. He hold her tight and planted a little kiss on her hair. "I'm here, Clarice. Everything's gonna be OK now." Clarice raised her face to him. "Are you going to ... stay ?". He caressed her cheek and swept her tears with his thumb. "No more going, Clarice. And no more tears."  
  
He lifted her in his arms and climbed the stairs to her bedroom.  
  


* * *

  
Mischa woke up very early the following morning. Anxious to discover her Christmas presents, she ran to her mother' s bedroom. She pushed the door opened and froze. This was the first time she ever saw a man in her mother' s bed. Clarice opened her eyes. Hannibal was sitting next to her, watching her.  
  
Clarice sat in her bed and stared at her daughter. "Come, Mischa. Don't be afraid. Everything is fine." The child stepped forward cautiously, her eyes still locked on the man in the bed. When she was close enough, Clarice took her hands in hers. Hannibal had not said a word.  
  
" - Mischa, this is your father." The little eyes widened.  
" - My daddy ? My **real** daddy ?  
- Yes, honey, your real daddy. And he's gonna stay with us now."  
  
Hannibal smiled at Clarice and at his daughter. "Yes, that's right." he said. "I'm going to stay with you and I'll never leave you again." As Mischa was still standing motionless by the bed, he raised his eyebrow and added: "That is ... If it's OK with you, of course ...".  
  
Mischa looked at her mother and screamed: "Mummy, this is the special surprise Santa said yesterday !". And then she jumped on the bed and in the arms of her both parents. She too had a family now ...  
  
****  


**- The End -**  


  


* * *

_Thanks for reading. Feel free to review ..._  
_Absolut._  
  



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